C'est La Vie
by petals-to-fish
Summary: Tumblr Requested: Angsty muggle au in which James and Lily are young parents who are struggling and they can't afford things like new clothes or many toys for Harry. Whenever James has to pick up Harry from daycare, other parents judge him because he is so young but Harry does not care because his parents are alive and they love him more than anything.


**Requested on Tumblr:** _Could someone write this? Angsty muggle au in which James and Lily are young parents who are struggling a bit, so they have to work like two jobs or something like that. And they can't afford things like family outing, or new clothes, or many toys for Harry. Lily is exhausted and sick of her job. And whenever James has to pick up Harry from daycare, other parents judge him because he is so young. But Harry doesn't care because he only knows he has a wonderful family that love him very much._

* * *

James Potter is aware he looked a bit wrecked as he entered the daycare. It didn't help that he'd been turned down for the big promotion at work, _again_. The boss resented him, his competition jaded him, and such was life. James had something more important than a job he hated; he had a son he loved.

Their stares are evident as he picks Harry up from the daycare. The woman at the front desk always looked him up and down with scathing eyes. The girls taking care of the children always whispered to each other, giggles not shy, as he took his son away from the many toys the daycare offered. The prettiest girl always made sure to offer him a suggestive smile as he placed their tip in a jar on the crayon infested tables.

They thought he was young, foolish, and less than capable of parenting the boy he held in his arms.

He pushed open the door to the small daycare as Harry clung to his side, five-year-old hands tugging on the worn out jean jacket James wore. James kissed his son on the top of his head, closing his eyes to block out the stares of the other parents coming to retrieve their children from the daycare. They always noted how Harry wore the same blue sweater. They always remarked on how tired James looked. They always asked if James needed a suggestion for a children's barber.

"There's an excellent little shop on Mill Street." The mom with the triplets told him kindly.

James didn't bother explaining to anyone that Harry was simply cursed with the Potter hair: messy beyond belief and blacker than night. James reached up to his own hair, ruffling it as he started down the block to the bus stop. The change in James' pocket jingled as he sat down on a bench and awaited the bus that would take them uptown.

James used most of the spare money he made at the print shop in order to send Harry to the nice daycare in the nice neighborhood. It had been his agreement with his wife Lily that despite having Harry young and on the cusp of financial breakdown—they wouldn't hold a penny back from giving him everything they possibly could. Lily used to work with James at the Print Shop until she had to quit when she became pregnant. The manager refused to hire her back when she reapplied after having Harry. She worked as a waitress now. They barely scraped by.

James stared out the windows of the bus as he recalled meeting his wife and their many adventures afterward. In James' lap, their biggest adventure contentedly relaxed against his dad's grip and babbled on about a girl in his daycare that told him that she wanted to marry him.

James smiled at his son's useless prattling and hugged the young boy closer, "You have to wait until you're at least eight to marry anyone, young man."

James ruffled Harry's hair and the young boy squirmed against his father's playful hand. The people on the bus looked around and stared at James and his laughing son. James glared back at the people, especially at the old woman looking over her newspaper.

God forbid his boy laughed.

Once they got off the bus, Harry was holding onto James' hand while they walked up the high street and down a backyard to an older apartment building painted blue. The front lawn was yellow and the sidewalk was overgrown but it was home. James' eyes lifted to the top left corner of the building where a window was open to the cold spring breeze. James sighed, knowing Lily must've turned the heat off and let the windows open to cut down on electricity.

It's the life they lived and it was all that Harry knew.

James and Harry climbed three flights of stairs, or rather, James and Harry climbed to the first flight and then James had to lift the boy into his arms. Harry clung around his father's neck, singing about farm animals, as James made his way to the last door on the end of the hall. A doormat welcomed visitors with a potted bush beside it. James got his keys from his pockets but before he could unlock the door it had been unlocked from the inside.

"Mummy!" Harry squealed into James' ear, wiggling as the door swung open and a very pretty woman with red hair opened up her arms for the boys to fall into.

"My boys!" Lily Potter was wearing her waitressing uniform still, it hung limply on her frame despite her curves.

Lily enveloped Harry into a hug and the little boy giggled as his mother pressed her lips against his stomach as he wiggled and blew a raspberry. Harry squealed as Lily placed him on the floor and he raced into the tiny apartment, likely to wreck havoc on the old cat.

Lily leaned against the doorframe and smiled at James, "How was work?"

James leaned forward to kiss her cheek, "Snape's still being an arse."

Lily's smacked his arm for his vulgarity as he entered the small apartment. Harry had indeed found the cat and was pulling on the poor thing's tail as it tried to run under the single chair in the middle of the living room. Directly to the left of the chair was the dainty little kitchen, where Lily had something started on the stove for the little family. James took off his coat and Lily closed the apartment door. The breeze from the open window in the bedroom was drafting through the rooms.

"I'm assuming you didn't get the promotion?" Lily muttered, leaning against the door and staring at her husband with disappointment.

James looked back at her and his shoulders dropped, telling her the answer. Lily's lips pursed as he placed his jacket on the small kitchen table that took up half the kitchen. She came over to him and placed her arms around his waist, squeezing him tightly. James bit his lip but held onto her hands around his waist so she couldn't let go. They were quiet, listening to the sound of Harry play with the cat.

"I just don't understand why Snape hates you." Lily murmured into his chest.

James turned so that they were hugging each other properly and he could look into her eyes. Her eyes were the first thing he'd noticed the day she'd walked into the print shop, vivid green and as sharp as anything. He reached up with one of his hands to brush it along her soft cheek lovingly.

"I still maintain it's because you married me." He teased.

Lily gave him an exasperated look and pinched his back playfully, "Snape did not fancy me."

"Every person in that shop with balls fancied you," James shot back ruefully, "it's not my fault you're painfully oblivious."

Lily wrinkled her nose at her husband; "If I was so _painfully oblivious_ I would've never married the bloke who kept shooting paper love notes in my direction."

He laughed and she grinned, pinching him again before unwrapping herself from his grip to turn on their son. Harry was still torturing the poor cat, which was clawing out of Harry's arms desperately. James couldn't blame his son for being fascinated with the scraggily old tabby; he didn't have that many toys to occupy his time. Lily walked over to Harry and picked him up, forcing Harry to release his grip on the cat, which shot under the chair.

James turned away from the pair to stir whatever was boiling in the pot. He wrinkled his nose when he saw she was boiling potatoes. It was the third time this week they were eating potatoes. Lily must've seen his face because she spoke up softly.

"They raised the price for hamburger meat at Holly's."

James turned away from the pot and saw his wife had curled up with their son on the chair. Her red hair tumbled over her shoulder as she hugged their boy, the one thing that was perfect in their life. Harry was staring at James with wide green eyes that matched Lily's eyes perfectly. James walked away from the potatoes so he could drop in front of his wife and son, huddled in the chair together.

Harry reached out with both hands and pulled James' glasses off his face. James watched as the young boy placed the glasses on his face and then laughed, amused as he looked around.

"Everything's so big!" Harry squealed, "Daddy why do you wear them?"

James didn't miss the tear that Lily wiped off her cheek before she cuddled her son closer and said confidently, "Oh Harry, no doubt you'll be wearing glasses soon enough!"

James climbed into the chair with them, picking Lily up and placing her almost into his lap so they could share the chair. Lily tucked her knees in and he wrapped his arms around the pair.

"He has your eyes," James argued, placing a kiss on Lily's neck, "He won't need glasses."

"James he squints at everything." Lily snorted doubtfully.

"He does not." James debated.

Harry spun in his mum's lap, pulling James' glasses off only to squint his eyes at them both. Lily turned her head to send James a _told-you-so_ glare. James stuck his tongue out at her. Harry handed James his glasses back. Harry then climbed down from their laps so he could grab one of his small toys gathered by a tiny wireless television that only offered less than static when the sun shone and the wind blew in the right direction on Thursdays.

Lily breathed contentedly in James' arms as they watched Harry play with his toys. The only sound came from the potatoes boiling in their pot on the stove.

"Mummy." Harry said earnestly as he ran his toy truck along the carpet.

"Yes my love?" Lily hummed as she leaned against James' hold.

"Daddy said I had to wait until I was eight to marry Sophia." Harry sniffed as he drove his truck backwards, "But you and Daddy got married when you was six."

James laughed and so did Lily.

"What makes you say that?" Lily asked her son as James shared an exuberant glance with his wife.

"That's what Miss Courtney said." Harry stopped playing with his truck, explaining, "She was telling Miss Sheila that daddy married you young."

Lily's hand tightened around James and he pressed his forehead against her shoulder. As Harry got older, he was starting to notice things, including when his teachers gossiped about his parents. Harry didn't notice his parent's hush and he kept talking.

"I hope I can marry Sophia sooner." His face was uncorrupted as he grinned at his shell-shocked parents, "That way I can be as happy you and daddy are."

"Oh Harry," Lily crooned, leaving James' grasp to join her little boy on the floor, wrapping Harry into her arms and kissing every bit of him she could, "You're not allowed to leave your mummy and daddy until you're _at least_ twenty five."

Harry pulled back in his mother's arms, utterly outraged, "twenty five!" Harry exclaimed loudly and James couldn't help but choking out a laugh, " _But Sophia wants to marry me now_!"

"Sophia shmophia." Lily chastised their son, shaking her finger at Harry, "You don't want to stay with mummy and daddy?"

Harry looked at his mother and then his green eyes turned onto James, blinking owlishly.

Harry sighed, "I guess."

Lily curled her legs as she gasped melodramatically and ticked Harry's side, "You guess!" she proclaimed, " _You guess?!"_

Harry hooted and rolled on the floor as Lily ticked his sides, "Mummmyyyy!" he squealed, "Mummmmyyyy stoooopp!"

James lifted himself off the chair and swooped down to pick Harry up and away from his mother, swinging the boy in the air. Harry screamed against his father's hold and Lily jumped up to grab Harry from James next, placing kisses all over Harry's face. James wrapped his arms around the pair and they fell to the floor together, laughing.

Harry stopped laughing first, swathed up in his parent's embraces.

"I love you." He told them both sincerely, "More than Sophia."

Lily and James kissed opposite sides of Harry's head adoringly.

Harry ate his potatoes without complaint, took his bath happily, and got into his too-small pajamas without second thought. Lily and James placed him to bed in his small cot placed at the end of their small mattress in the bedroom. Lily closed the windows. James put on the television, filling the room with the buzzing of an old black and white show. The cat came out of hiding and walked into the bedroom to fall asleep at Harry's side.

Lily closed the bedroom door softly and then turned to her husband. He stared at her with the same gloomy stare. She walked slowly over to him and curled up into his lap. He pressed his lips against her temple and wrapped his hands around her milky legs sticking out from under the extra large shirt she wore. She leaned into his touch instinctively.

"I'd do it all over again, you know." He whispered, "Marrying you…having Harry…screw everyone else."

Lily turned in his lap so she was straddling him, that way she could stare profoundly into his eyes. Her emerald eyes were watery. He knew she was thinking about what Harry had told them.

"I want to march into that daycare and give them a piece of my mind." She grumbled and he chuckled at the spirit she displayed.

He tucked her auburn hair behind her left ear, "If you're going to yell at someone, go yell at Snape instead of gossiping teenagers."

Lily eyed him peculiarly, "It wasn't so long ago that _we_ were gossiping teenagers." She reminded him.

James smirked as he leaned forward so that their noses were almost touching, "If I recall we were a little to preoccupied to be gossiping."

"You're right," she replied smartly with a roll of her hips, "We _started_ the gossip."

James let his hands reach for her cheeks and he pulled her face closer to his so he could kiss her softly and slowly, relishing the way she felt against him. She pulled away from him first, running her fingers through his hair as she stared at him thoughtfully. Her rosy lips were turned down in a frown, despite his kiss.

"Why do people care about how old we were?" she sighed, "Do you think any of them would blink if we had a kid now?"

James searched her eyes as she continued running her fingers blissfully through his hair. Her fingernails scratched at his scalp and he closed his eyes against her touch. Her fingers stopped and he opened one eye to see she was moping at him.

"I gave up my career to give birth to him." She muttered angrily, "You stayed at a job you hate and can't get promoted in because your boss is a jerk…we did it _all_ for Harry and people act like we're terrible parents because I had him when I was seventeen years old."

James ran his fingers up and down her arms soothingly, "You're preaching to the choir, love."

Lily fell into his chest and sighed deeply, "I know," she played with his shirt buttons, "I just wish…I wish he'd stop growing up so quickly."

James ran his fingers up and down her spine, "Me too."

"What if one day he wakes up and he's not happy anymore?" she whispered her fears into his shirt.

James whispered back, "It's gonna change soon Lil." He said hopefully, "I'll get the promotion…you'll get your big break writing for the papers…"

James imagined what it would be like. He imagined an older Harry running around a big house, with maybe a sister or two chasing after him. Toys were everywhere the eye looked. There were no more boiled potatoes and they had picnics in the park.

"We can always dream." Lily murmured, kissing his jaw.

They couldn't give Harry everything and it killed them. One day their son was going to realize how poor and adrift his parents really were.

Suddenly the bedroom door opened and Harry stumbled out, rubbing his eyes. Lily got off James and raced over to her baby, kneeling down next to him.

"What's wrong Harry?"

"The cat scratched me." Harry whined.

He showed his mum his tiny arm and sure enough there were bright red lines on his hand. Lily kissed his hand before lifting Harry up and into her arms. James stood up and frowned.

"Damn cat." He muttered, stalking into the bedroom to find the cat stretched out on Harry's cot.

"James." Lily warned him not to let his temper get the better of him.

James hissed at the cat and pushed the lanky thing off Harry's pillow. The cat yowled and raced from the bedroom. James chased after it with a shoe, threateningly. Harry was still sniveling as Lily brought him back into the bedroom.

"The cat didn't mean it." Harry sniffled to his father, "I scared him. Don't hurt him."

"James dear," Lily called to him from the bedroom as the cat slunk underneath the chair with a hiss, "Come cheer you son up."

James glared at the cat once more before going back into the bedroom. Lily and Harry were lying on the large mattress together. James smiled as he watched Lily brush Harry's hair with her fingers, as she often did to James. He got onto the mattress and curled up so that Harry was between them, safe from the old grumpy cat.

"One day I'm going to let Sirius shoot the cat." James told Lily.

"Is Uncle Sirius coming?" Harry perked up at his godfather's name.

Lily and James exchanged a look before James said softly, "Uncle Sirius is still in America."

"Why." Harry demanded, "He doesn't love us anymore?"

Lily snickered and stopped brushing Harry's hair with her fingers so she could wink at James, "Of course not Harry." She said, "Uncle Sirius loves us very much."

"But he's traveling the world." James reminded Harry, "Remember the last postcard he sent? He was at the Grand Canyon!"

"I miss him." Harry played with his shirt; it was one Sirius had bought him.

James ruffled his son's hair, "I miss him too, mate."

Harry hiccupped and then said, "Dad?"

"Hmm?"

James loved when Harry said dad.

"Can we go see the Grand Canyon?"

"One day." James promised his son firmly, "And we'll see the Pacific Ocean and the Egyptian Pyramids…"

"And Paris?" Lily questioned hopefully on Harry's other side.

"Of course," James planned with his little family, " _c'est la vie!_ "

Harry giggled at the funny words, " _seay la vee!_ " he copied his father.

Lily and James laughed, curling their arms around the boy lovingly as he continued shouting the words playfully. Lily and Harry fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms. Harry had a smile on his face and James was certain that Lily had never looked prettier in the moonlight. She might work as a waitress and he might hate his job but at least they had the happiest little boy in the world. At least they lived. At least they were happy together.

One day their son _was_ going to grow up but that was life and James knew he wouldn't trade his life for anything.

* * *

This was written a long time ago, I just never posted it! Enjoy!

xxx

Petals


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